Republican campaign talk gets nastier

Posted: 8:05 AM, Feb 15, 2016
Updated: 2016-02-15 09:05:48-05
Republican campaign talk gets nastier

WASHINGTON (AP) — In 2011, eyebrows shot up when former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin used a salty acronym to mock the policies of President Barack Obama.

How quaint.









Now, it's on the podium — and by design.



As for the GOP campaign, Trump is playing to voters who have a disdain for anything associated with the establishment, including the whole idea of appearing "presidential," says Norman Ornstein, an American Enterprise Institute scholar who's been watching presidential politics for decades. That makes it hard for Trump's rivals to fight back using traditional tactics.

"If you are trying to be a boxer playing by Marquess of Queensberry rules and you're coming up against a mixed martial arts guy who doesn't even abide by the rules of mixed martial arts, do you sink to that level?" Ornstein asks. "There's no easy way to respond, because if you're trying to show you're different from this vulgar guy, then he's going to beat you up."





Trump has offered a similar defense and promised he'll tone things down if he gets closer to the presidency, saying, "when you're president, or if you're about to be president, you would act differently."


But also made clear he has no intention to rein in his personal attacks and insults.

He's framed his blunt language as a harmless rejoinder to political correctness run amok, saying, "Every once in a while you can have a little fun, don't you think?"





